KEE Kok Thiam – the low-profile close associate of 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Bhd) fugitive Low Taek Jho a.k.a. Jho Low – who returned to Malaysia on May 3 has been confirmed dead with the final ritual of his funeral scheduled for 10am today (May 31) at the Jinjang Funeral Parlour en route to a cremation at the Kepong Crematorium in Kuala Lumpur.
The 56-year-old who had divulged Low’s whereabouts to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) during questioning upon been detained at the klia2 after been deported from Macau for overstaying his visa is believed to have died from “a sudden illness”.
A reliable source from the graft buster has confirmed Kee’s death with both the New Straits Times and Malay Mail after his obituary has gone viral on the social media.
A pivotal witness in the local investigations of the global corruption scandal which was masterminded by Low, Kee had been released after being questioned by the commission.
During questioning, Kee had confirmed meeting Low, 41, and fellow 1MDB fugitives and suspects – Eric Tan Kim Loong, Casey Tang Keng Chee, Geh Choh Heng and former 1MDB CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil – in Macau.
Interestingly, global media network Al Jazeera has also reported yesterday (May 30) that it has received a written response from MACC who “believes the individuals wanted for the 1MDB case, especially Jho Low, are hiding in Macau”.
James Chin, a Malaysia expert at Australia’s University of Tasmania, said there are “only two possibilities” as to why Kee was deported from Macau.
“He ran out of money to be able to pay a high-powered lawyer to fix his visa issue or the orders to have him deported came directly from Beijing,” he told Al Jazeera.
The global media network also highlighted in its exclusive report that whatever the status of 1MDB fugitives in the Chinese territories or on the mainland, many are of the view that the handing over of Kee to Malaysian authorities is unlikely to see the big fish shipped home any time soon.
“The deportation of Kee Kok Thiam is tokenism, all about politics and appearances,” former Malaysian ambassador and diplomat in Beijing Dennis Ignatius told Al Jazeera.
“It’s not in China’s best interest to release Jho Low. He knows too much. He was party to every shady deal with China during Najib’s (now incarcerated former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak) time and China wants that forgotten,” justified Ignatius.
“It doesn’t want it dredged up again, especially as competition between China and the US heats up.”
Professor of Asian Studies Chin further expressed belief that Jho Low’s future in China is secure as long as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is unwilling or unable to make concessions to Beijing on issues clouding their relations.
“Chinese state-owned companies have billions of dollars invested in infrastructure projects in Malaysia that have (been) halted, re-negotiated or aren’t going well. China would want these to be renegotiated and set back on track,” he pointed out.
“China would also need Malaysia to guarantee cooperation in the exploration of the South China Sea and to not side with the US over the South China Sea security issues.” – May 31, 2023
